Watch Bay! Karl Zexhner pilots Bay Of Bengal to a smooth win
Mike Azzie’s Bay Of Bengal continued the excellent feature streak of Wilgerbosdrift stallion Tiger Ridge, when he cruised in to win the R125 000 Egoli Mile run at Turffontein on Saturday.
After the multiple feature successes of the son of Storm Cat’s progeny on the big day at Turffontein a week earlier, Bay Of Bengal continued the purple patch with an impressive win in this non black type feature.
Having his second run for Mike Azzie, after relocating from Spike Lerena, Bay Of Bengal showed the benefits of having the blinkers fitted and being freshened up after an unplaced run early in December, when displaying signs of fatigue.
He registered a double after beating Henry Higgins over the course and distance MR 78 Handicap two weeks earlier.
The King And I made the pace from Dual Asset, Snappy Lad and Rock Cocktail. Wylie Hall was settled further back with Gray’s Champ and Casey Novak in attendance. Further back Double Bind and Antarctic Call accompanied Bay Of Bengal, who shaded American Storm and Serissa.
Into the straight The King And I continued to leadDual Asset, with Snappy Lad and Rock Cocktail looking dangerous. At this point Casey Novak was unwinding as Bay Of Bengal slipped through down the rails.
With the field fanned out and many appearing to be in with chances, Bay Of Bengal burst through down the inside at the 300m marker and won going away at 14 to 1 by 1,75 lengths in a time of 97,26 secs.
Weiho Marwing’s Australian bred Wylie Hall, caught the eye when staying on well for second, ahead of Casey Novak and the consistent Antarctic Call, who looks a shoe in next time in the Novices.
The shrewd and wily horseman Mike Azzie was obviously as pleased as punch with Bay Of Bengal’s good win and said that he had fitted the blinkers and put a tongue tie on to get the colt focussed on his racing.
“I saw the fatigue at his run in December, but I think he is capable and a very nice sort,” said Azzie in his endearing quietly excitable style.
Jockey Karl Zechner, who is being appreciated far more by the Gauteng trainers than he was in KZN, said that everything had gone well:
“He is a good horse, but the penny hasn’t quite dropped yet. I bounced him and just settled him in and decided to bide my time as they went quite quickly. Robbie Fradd moved up on that talented horse, Casey Novak, but I managed to get away from him quite quickly and I wasn’t worried thereafter,” he said.
The Wilgerbosdrift Stud bred Bay Of Bengal is by Tiger Ridge out of the Spend A Buck mare, Let’s Try Again.
He cost R165 000 on the National Two Year Old Sale, and took his earnings to R280 000 with his third win and 1 place from 5 starts.
Bay Of Bengal looks a promising and as yet unexposed sort, and a natural to contest the SA
